Telescopic chalk line device



Oct. 20, 1953 R W,COOK 2,655,728

TELESCOPIC CHALK LINE DEVICE I n' Filed Dec. 10, 1951 Snoentor: ROY W. COOK,

A/ l l Patented Oct. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELESCOPIC CHALK LINE DEVICE Roy W. Cook, Green River, Utah Application December 10, 1951, Serial No. 260,908

Claims.

This invention relates to chalk lines as used for the marking of temporary guide lines on a variety of surfaces, for example, signboards in connection with the painting of signs.

The customary chalk line must be held by two people during use thereof in instances where the length of the marking is to be longer than the arm span of one person. This is true whether an ordinary length of cord be chalked and used for the purpose, or one of the customary chalk line devices embodying a reel be employed. One man holds one end of the proper length of chalked cord, while another holds the other end. The two ends are simultaneously applied to the particular surface concerned, with the length of the cord stretched taut therebetween. When the cord is plucked and allowed to sharply hit the surface along the length of the cord, a straight chalk line is marked on the surface as a guide for sign lettering or for a variety of other useful purposes, as in building construction or decorating.

Principal objects of my invention are:

To enable one person to make a chalk line impression on any suitable surface, and of length far exceeding that possible by one person using a conventional chalk line or chalk line device.

To enable exact measurement by one person of the length of a chalk line at the time of and incidental to the making of the impression.

To provide a device for the purpose, which is convenient to carry and use, and which is adaptable to practically all the needs of a chalk line user.

In accordance with my invention, I employ a telescopic rod in combination with a chalk line device embodying a spring-actuated reel for coiling up the line following any given use thereof. The free end of the line, which line may be any type of cord customarily employed for chalk line purposes, is secured at the freely extensible end of the telescopic rod, so that extension of the rod over any given distance will automatically accomplish a paying out of a corresponding length of chalk line from the reel, and will hold it in properly extended, taut condition for plucking by the person holding the device against the surface concerned. Chalking of the line is accomplished in any suitableand well known manner, preferably by the customary expedient of packing chalk dust about the reel, or of holding a stick of chalk against the line as it is being payed out.

Various structural details are significant in the construction and use of the device, as will appear hereinafter.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the particular preferred embodiments illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the device in an extended position;

Fig. 2, a similar view partially in vertical section, and with certain portions broken out, the view being drawn to an enlarged scale and illustrating the device in only slightly extended position;

Fig. 3, a vertical section taken on` the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a bottom plan view taken from the standpoint of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, a View substantially corresponding to that of Fig. 2, but showing a different arrangement for chalking the line;

Fig. 6, a vertical section taken on the line 5 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7, a similar section taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8, a bottom plan View taken from the standpoint of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 9, a horizontal section taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing:

The embodiment of Figs. l through t is equipped with a chalk line device utilizing powdered chalk packed about the line, while the embodiment of Figs. 5 through 9 is equipped with a chalk line device employing a solid stick of chalk for chalking the line as it is payed out.

In the particular preferred form illustrated, the embodiment of Fig. l comprises a tubular, telescopic rod I0 made up of a base section Illa at one end of the rod, forming a handle therefor, and a terminal section 10b at the opposite or freely extensible end of the rod, with intermediate sections Ic being provided in number depending upon the desired over-all lengthV of the rod, such sections being slideably interitted for telescopic movement relative to one another.

Since it is necessary in the use of the device that the rod I0, when extended, be rigid and without tendency to bow, I have found it advantageous to make the tubular sections lila, lb, and |00 of the rod polygonal in cross section, Iadvantageously square or rectangular, as shown, and of suitable rigid material, such as steel or plastic tubing of suicient wall thickness for the purpose, the wall thickness in any given instance depending largely upon the overall length of the rod when extended.

Attached to the forward end of the base or handle section I a of the telescopic rod I 0 is a chalk line device II. Such device II is preferably attached at one side of such base or handle section IUa., so as to project laterally of the rod a sufficient distance to keep the chalk line well spaced from the body of the section Illa, serves to tightly attach the device II to the rod.

In the particular' form shown, the chalk line device II` comprises a reel I3 fixed on a rotatable shaft I4 within one closed compartment I5, Fig. 3, of an enclosing casing I6. A spiral spring I'l'f is mounted on an opposite portion of the shaft I S within a separate closed compartment I8 of the casing I6. The inner end of such. spring 1:7 is xed to the shaft l, while the outer end thereof is fixed, as by means of a rivet IS, to one of' the defining walls of the casing. Thus, the reel I3 is adapted to be rewound automatically, following any payingout of the chalk line 2B coiled thereon.

In addition to the closed compartmentation of the interior of the casingl, wherebythe reel is separated from the reel-actuating springso that powdered chalk may be packed around the reel without interfering with the action ofthe spring, the casing I3 is preferably formed with a tapered line-emitting portion i'a provided with a restricted passage 2|, of diameter only slightly greater than the diameter of the chalk line 26, whereby such chalk line is guided during paying out and reeling in, and the powdered chalk 22, packed within the reel chamber I 5, is effectively retained within such chamber, except insofar as particles thereof cling to the surface of the line as it is payed out through. the passage 2l. As `an additional means for preventing loss of powdered chalk from the compartment l5, packing material 23, Fig. 2, of felt or the like is advantageously placed at the inside entrance to the line-emitting passage 2i, so thatthe line passes therethrough. as it is payed out.

For the purpose of facilitating the paying out and reeling in of the chalk line 2i), and` to prevent fraying thereof during these operations, those portions of the casing walls which denne the passage 2i, and over which the line passes, are preferably turned back,Y as in the instance of the line-emitting lip Ib andthe opposite Wall terminus Ice, Fig. 2, or other suitable means for the purpose are provided.

In order to placeythe chalk line, as payed out, at a suitablev distance from the rod I to enable it to properly perform its marking function, an' arm 2dY is provided at the free Aterminus of the'terminal section I'b thereof, such arm advantageously projecting laterally' of the rod a distance substantially equal to the distance over which the chalk line device II extends from the extended rod. This means that the rodcan then be effectively employed as a measure or rule in determining the length of the chalk line payed out, and',V consequently, the length of' the line to be marked on the surface concerned.

For this latter function, one or more of the outer. surfaces-preferably the upper and side surfaces-of. each of the intermediate sections I'Qc and of the terminal section Ib of the telescopic rod IG are markedV with measurement graduations '26, providing a scale representative of distance from a Zero point of reference 2, which is coincident with the extended end a ofY the chalk line, to a second reference point 28,. which is coincident with the pointof emergence, see Zlib, Fig. 1 of theline ,from the-device I I. Thus, any distance, short or long, Within the capacity of the telescopic rod I0, may be exactly measured as the rod is extended for use. Obviously, the scale graduations may be applied in any other suitable manner to or in connection with the telescopic rod.

A convenient Way of attaching the free end of the line 20 to the arm 24 is provided by a hook 24a'. The free end of the line need merely be tied in a loop, and hooked in place.

The embodiment of Figs. 5 through 9 is essentially similar in structure and function to the previously described embodiment, the only changesmade being those necessitated by the use oa rigidI stick of chalk instead of a loose mass of powdered chalk.

The telescopic rod may be identical with the previously described rod I il. It is here designated by the numeral 30.

The chalk. line device, here indicated 3|, comprises anenclosing casing 32', which, in this in,- stance, need not be and is not'shown as compartm'ented. rThe reel 33 and spring 34 are mountedside by side on a common rotatable shaft 35i' without any partition walls between them.

As in the previously described embodiment, the casing is here shown as provided with a tapered', line-emitting .portion indicated 32a. This is a convenient construction where the casing is molded or pressed into shape, and, in this instance, laffords an advantageous mounting for a smallI pulley S6 which is journaled within the lineem' ting passage or opening 3l of the casing for the purpose of guiding andjprotecting the vline here indicated in its passage out of and its return into the casing.

As an auxiliary portion of the casing 32, placed immediately forwardly thereof, a. tubular. retainer 3S for a stick of chalk 4G is provided. Its openlotver end lies directly Within the path of emergence ofthe line 38 from the casing 32, so that, as the line is payed out, the stick of chai-k @e is forcibly pressed against the line underthe urging of a spring. 4I.

Vlit is preferable that the openen'd of the vtubular casing 39 vbe grooved 'as at d'2, Fig. '7, to accommodate the line 38 in its traversal' ofthe chalk As an additional guide and means for preventing fraying of the line, a second vpulley d3 is journaled between a pair of ears 48 projecting forwardly from the tubular retainer 3'9 at the openend thereof, and.serves as a line-emitting lip corresponding' to the lip IED ofthe first embodiment. Such pulley 43is aligned with the pulley 36 and with the groove 42, thereby providing for smoothand substantially frictionless travel of the line, except for the actualchalking operation.

As in the previously described embodiment, an arm, here indicated. 45, is provided at the free end of the terminal orextensible section 0f. the telescopic rod 3Q, but in this instance, the inner face of such arm is recessed, as at 65, E'ig.v 5, for' .thepurpose of accommodating the pulley 43 and. ears M-` in nesting fashion .whenthe rod Sii is completely retracted, thereby placing ythe effective terminus 38a. ofthe chalk line contiguous to the chalklwin such completely retractedposition. This insures. chalking. of the `line over the complete extent of its effective length. upon each use of theV device.

It should be particularly noted that inboth embodiments. the. line-emitting, lip is. disposedin substantial registry with that. end. of the rodi base section from which the rod is extended, and,

furthermore, is spaced laterally of the rod so that it may be accurately positioned relative to the Work against which the chalk line is to be applied.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it should be understood that various changes may be made Without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus of the nature described, comprising the combination with a self-chalking chalk line device having a line-emitting lip substantially coincident with one side of the device, of a telescopic rod having its base section formed as a handle to which said chalk line is attached so that its said one side is spaced laterally of the rod and its said line-emitting lip lies in substantial registry with that end of said base section from which said rod is extended; and means at the free terminus of the terminal section of said rod for holding the free end of said chalk line.

2. The combination dened in claim 1, wherein the telescopic rod is polygonal in cross-section.

3. The combination dened in claim 1, Wherein the telescopic rod is marked longitudinally With a distance scale, as a measurement rule.

4. A chalk line device of the nature described, comprising in combination, a reel containing a chalk line; means for actuating the reel; a casing in which said reel and said actuating means are housed, said casing having a line-emitting portion tapered to a lip; means immediately in advance of said lip, for applying chalk to said chalk line; a telescopic rod, to the base section of Which said casing is attached with its line-emitting portion projecting outwardly remote from said rod and with its lip in substantial registry with that end of said base section from which the rod is extended; and an arm attached to said rod at the free terminus of the terminal section thereof and projecting outwardly into substantial alignment with said line-emitting lip, the free end of said chalk line being attached to said arm, so that the amount of line payed out is substantially identical in length With any given extended portion of the telescopic rod.

5. The combination defined in claim 4, Wherein the chalk-applying means comprises a receptacle for chalk, said receptacle having Walls dening a chalking orifice immediately in advance of the line-emitting portion of the reel casing; wherein guide means for the chalk line is disposed immediately in advance of said chalking orice; and wherein the arm to which the free end of said chalk line is attached is contoured to receive said guide means in nesting fashion when the telescopic rod is completely retracted.

ROY W. COOK.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,203,063 Winchell Dec. 12, 1916 2,518,128 Dulho Aug. 8, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 366,343 Germany Jan. 3, 1923 496,700 Germany Apr. 24, 1930 

